With the slogan of ‘Service at Doorsteps’, Digital Centres have facilitated more than 300 services that build trust in the service receiver through a digital transformation of public service. By digitalizing public and private services, citizens’ satisfaction is improved, thus removing Time, Cost and (number of) Visit (TCV) and enhancing trust in e-government services.

The Digital Centre has become the hub for citizen-centric digital services. This strategic decision outpaced the evolving needs of the citizens and allowed the government to measure better economicoutcomes of their services and restore citizens’ trust. Currently, 16500entrepreneurs, with more than 5200 women entrepreneurs, are working at the Digital Centre with the motto of ‘Serving with heart’.

As the need for face-to-face interaction reduced between a service provider and recipient, the scope of online solutions expanded, minimizing corruption. The Digital Centre of the unions, upazillas and city corporations has become the one-stop e-service centre for citizens by facilitating well-being and economic advancement. Mr. Tanjir Hayat from Vanga Upazila, Faridpur, shared his experience of taking service from Digital Centre-

“After my father’s sudden death- I was not informed about the land assets of our family. No documents were in my hand, with complete darkness of land locations and proportions. Then I collected all khatiyan online through the Digital Centre of my union, which paved the way to manage all required records. Then, I completed the e-mutation online and did it without any hassle. I had to provide no bribe to any intermediary person.”

The Ministry of Land has brought dynamism to land management and has made citizens aware of their rights to their land. They have promoted receiving land-related digital services without physically coming to the land office. Furthermore, they have taken the initiative to supply suitable government data/information related to land services to ensure good land administration governance and be more people-oriented.

While one of the Government officers of Bangladesh (ICT Ministry) was visiting the Upazila Digital Centre of Jeshore, he expressed interest in talking with a woman aged 50+ years about the service. The answer of that woman was astonishing! – “I came here to pay the electricity bill with the rice on the stove. I don’t have time to talk to you…”

In this way, social dynamics is being changed by the Digital Centre with social involvement and acceptance of community people. The government is focused on achieving the SDG goals by 2030, involving citizens of the rural area through ICT connectivity to eradicate poverty, good governance and social equity. Marina is a 12 year-old girl from Fulchori Union, Gaibanda, whose mother is an expatriate in the Middle East. She expressed the necessity of having services from Digital Centre-

“I don’t have any smartphone yet; when I need to see my mother’s face over a video call, Fulchori Digital Centre is the only reliable way to communicate. Moreover, I receive money here sent by my mother as a remittance.”

Digital Centre established public rights by ensuring information and government service at the doorstep of the grassroots level of people. Till now, 62.5 core services have been provided, saving an average of 17450.2 working hours, 13.1 thousand taka and 134.2 times the travel expenses of per service recipient, which resulted in 76.6% satisfaction.

It improved living standards by contributing to gender equality and women empowerment. Digital Centre provides training to unemployed youth, students, and women; a total 37 training courses of the Bangladesh Technical Education Board are available at the centre. After the training, the recipient will get a certificate from the board. The scope of work of the Digital Centre will be considered as an excellent tool in shaping Smart Bangladesh in the near future.

A large number of Digital Centre entrepreneurs worked for ‘COVID-19 Telehealth Centre’ as a volunteer during the pandemic. Omer Ali, a 70-year-old farmer, shared his experience regarding corona vaccine registration-

“As an illiterate, I wasn’t informed about how and where to register for the Covid-19 vaccine. I went to my Digital Centre along with my NID. They registered for me and gave me a printed vaccine card. I got vaccinated and am still alive after being affected by corona.”

Marginalized community’s economic growth and employment generation have been accelerated by accomplishing happiness and prosperity together, and Bangladesh is progressing as a modern welfare state where e-literacy, expansion of e-commerce, skilled human resources and e-governance are ensured by the Digital Centre. Digital Centre reaches the unreached people of the country where they can avail the ICT-based commercial and government services by paying a certain amount without any harassment.